Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about buying, owning, and maintaining your golf cart
What you need to know before buying a cart
Feel confident that a well maintained cart is a good investment
Depreciation & Economics
Like any new vehicle, buying a new cart from a dealer is likely to expose you to healthy depreciation in year 1. However, pre-owned golf carts are very economical if you look at their per year cost of ownership.
Established manufacturers don’t change body styles and features often meaning slow linear depreciation curves. If you purchase a pre-owned cart and keep it for a few years, our experience has been that it will cost you around a dollar a day, including depreciation, if well maintained.
Repairs & Maintenance
There aren’t nearly as many things to break on a cart vs a car, so there aren’t a lot of repairs involved in carts that are established brands, properly maintained, and less than 15 years old.
Maintenance costs are fairly low as well, as long as you keep lead acid batteries topped off and charged. Worried about this? Talk to us about lithium ion batteries… they are a gamechanger.
Storage Requirements
Space Considerations
Carts with back seats are approximately 115″ long and 48″ wide. You will need access to at least one side.
Charging Power Access
You need to regularly plug your cart into a standard outlet. Chargers draw 8-12 amps and are NOT weatherproof.
Climate Control
Carts left outside over winter MUST be kept at charge level over 50% to ensure batteries don’t freeze.
What you need to know about buying a cart
Make informed decisions with expert guidance
Sellers & Where to Buy
There are retail dealers with showrooms that have high overheads reflected in their pricing. On the opposite side you have Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace where you can find lower prices, but you really need to know what you’re looking at.
This is where we come in… East Cobb Carts buys fleet-maintained carts from manufacturer lease buyback programs, inspects each cart before purchase, and we warranty your cart for 90 days after purchase! We don’t have a showroom, which allows us to pass savings along to you.
Brands & Quality
Three manufacturers are known as established brands that have each been around for 50 years and are recognized for their quality and durability:
Club Car
USA Made
EZGO
USA Made
Yamaha
USA Made
Visit most any golf course in this country and you won’t see any other brand. We typically only deal in these established brands.
Battery Technology: Lead-Acid vs Lithium
Lead-Acid Batteries
Very heavy, require watering (~60 days), lose 3-15% charge per month. Lifespan: 4-6 years. Lower upfront cost.
Lithium Ion Batteries
Maintenance free, lose about 1% charge per month, weigh 1/6th of lead acid. Lifespan: 8-12 years. Higher upfront cost, better value.
💡 If you can afford lithium, we doubt you’ll ever question the decision!
What you need to know about owning a cart
Keep your cart running safely and efficiently
Maintenance Checklist
Golf carts don’t require a lot of maintenance but the maintenance they do require is critical.
Tire Pressure & Wear
Inspect for low tire pressure. Check with a gauge at the beginning of spring. Look at tread wear monthly to spot alignment issues.
Battery Charging
Keep plugged in when not in use. Modern chargers will not overcharge. Critical below freezing temperatures!
⚠️ Critical Battery Safety
When the low battery light comes on, head back home and charge it. Running batteries down to critically low state can permanently damage them. For Lead Acid: Only water batteries when COMPLETELY charged to avoid acid spills.
Lift Kits & Safety Warnings
⚠️ IMPORTANT SAFETY WARNING
You need to understand the dangers of lift kits. They lift the center of gravity of the cart and make it less stable and more likely to flip – especially if driven aggressively. Lithium batteries in combination with a lift kit introduces even more risk because you are reducing weight in the bottom of the cart.
Typical lift kits are available in sizes from 2″ to 6″. Customers often opt to put larger tires on their cart for visual reasons, and depending on the desired tire size, a lift might be needed.
Spindle Lifts
Cheaper to install, provide clearance, but make the cart feel less stable than A-arm lifts.
A-arm Lifts
More time consuming to install but provide a much more stable ride compared to spindle lifts.
Wheels, Tires & Accessories
Stock wheels are 8″ steel wheels with 18×8.50-8 tires. If upgrading, you must consider body clearance (rubbing), motor load (larger tires require more power), and handling (higher tip-over risk).
Lights: We recommend headlights and taillights for all customers for safety. We typically outfit all of our carts with lights even in our base packages.
Talk to us about sizing options first, as you can’t put just any tire and wheel combo on any cart.